MARK OLALDE
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South  Africa

A  journey  into  south  Africa's  mines,  the  lives  of  its  miners  and
the  energy-production  industries  fueling  Africa's  rapid  growth

By: Mark Olalde


Photo  of  the  Week:  Footprint

12/29/2016

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Picture
Eita,

This photo was recently published in Oxpeckers (here: http://oxpeckers.org/2016/12/mine-closures-whats-happening-in-your-back-yard/) to help tell the story of the failure to rehabilitate gold mines across Gauteng province. Thanks to a non-profit called the Bateleurs (named for a type of eagle), I was able to fly over the Central Rand to see Central Rand Gold's operations, the West Rand to see Mintails' operations (pictured)  and the Far West Rand to see the abandoned Blyvooruitzicht Gold Mine. In addition to illustrating the true scope of some of these issues, these aerial photos allowed me to effectively see past walls and security guards to determine what activities are really taking place inside the country's mines.

Sharp sharp,
Mark
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Photo  of  the  Week:  Pollution  Control

12/1/2016

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Picture
Eita,

Feast your eyes on what is clearly not the best photo ever. But, it's the content that's important.

The brown liquid in the lower left-hand corner is acid mine water. The reeds mark the aboveground portion of the Wonderfonteinspruit, a stream used by communities (not ones where politicians or CEOs live, let's put it that way) for irrigation and many other purposes. This water mixes because a dam controlling polluted runoff from mines has a crack in it.

I was tipped off by an activist who was tipped off by a whistleblower, so I investigated. I took this photo while standing on the dam wall, and it quickly became clear that the claims were valid. I then called the CEO of the company responsible -- a mine waste remining company called Mintails Mining South Africa (Pty) Ltd -- and without hesitation he admitted to knowing about the problem.

I published this information in Johannesburg's (arguably) flagship daily, and the reaction was....not really anything. So there you have it. Back to work.

Sharp,
Mark
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    Mark Olalde

    I was a freelance journalist, previously based in South Africa, where I reported on the related industries of mining and energy production.

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